I know there's a special section for this, but it doesn't seem to be too popular so I'll give it a whirl here..

Anyone here to be banded in February besides me?

My surgery date is February 15th.

Feel free to add me on Facebook for support, etc. =]

http://www.facebook.com/DakotaRaeBanded2012

It took awhile, but I have finally determined there is a connection when I have increased carbs related to sugar and getting the "munchies", especially late at night.

Over the Easter holiday, we had our traditional dinner, which included honey baked ham. I had about 2 oz, and the rest of my Protein from regular smoked turkey. Later that evening I was craving a piece of the chocolate fudge cake left overs. I opted for a half teaspoon of Peanut Butter instead.

Last evening we went out to TGIFriday's. I ordered their Jack Daniel's chicken, which did come with the delicious JD sauce, which I believe has honey in it also. Just like clockwork, the munchies hit again by 11pm.

I hate when that happens...when you want to eat everything that is not nailed down. I have learned my lesson...I will have to avoid those kind of carbs; they place me on the "slippery slope" of non-compliance with my diet.

Has anyone else had this happen??

It took awhile, but I have finally determined there is a connection when I have increased carbs related to sugar and getting the "munchies", especially late at night.

Over the Easter holiday, we had our traditional dinner, which included honey baked ham. I had about 2 oz, and the rest of my Protein from regular smoked turkey. Later that evening I was craving a piece of the chocolate fudge cake left overs. I opted for a half teaspoon of Peanut Butter instead.

Last evening we went out to TGIFriday's. I ordered their Jack Daniel's chicken, which did come with the delicious JD sauce, which I believe has honey in it also. Just like clockwork, the munchies hit again by 11pm.

I hate when that happens...when you want to eat everything that is not nailed down. I have learned my lesson...I will have to avoid those kind of carbs; they place me on the "slippery slope" of non-compliance with my diet.

Has anyone else had this happen??

this is really interesting. im not aware of it, but im going to be alerted to it from now on as you have mentioned it. Thanks for sharing this.

It took awhile' date=' but I have finally determined there is a connection when I have increased carbs related to sugar and getting the "munchies", especially late at night.

Over the Easter holiday, we had our traditional dinner, which included honey baked ham. I had about 2 oz, and the rest of my Protein from regular smoked turkey. Later that evening I was craving a piece of the chocolate fudge cake left overs. I opted for a half teaspoon of Peanut Butter instead.

Last evening we went out to TGIFriday's. I ordered their Jack Daniel's chicken, which did come with the delicious JD sauce, which I believe has honey in it also. Just like clockwork, the munchies hit again by 11pm.

I hate when that happens...when you want to eat everything that is not nailed down. I have learned my lesson...I will have to avoid those kind of carbs; they place me on the "slippery slope" of non-compliance with my diet.

Has anyone else had this happen??[/quote']

I know the complete same feeling!! I am convinced carbs are the enemy! I feel off the no carb bandwagon during Easter too and since then I have been having some carbs it's like my body is craving them. I have to detox off again apart

I agree about carbs. I was better about them after the low carb pre surgery diet but I sure did go too crazy with jelly beans and chocolate. Now I sure am forever craving them.

I believe carbs trigger me to want to eat also....

But i was so worryed about carbs I was staying away from them and over doing the protien...and I was getting so tired...and feeling hungry....guess its a fine line

I believe carbs trigger me to want to eat also....

But i was so worryed about carbs I was staying away from them and over doing the protien...and I was getting so tired...and feeling hungry....guess its a fine line

im tired by lunchtime and wondering if im over doing the protein and not enough carbs myself. perhaps hypoglycaemic ?

I'm not a medical professional, but here is what I have learned from speaking with others who are...our brains need carbs to run on, carbs are the only form of energy the brain uses.

We get in to trouble when we have too many of the wrong kind of carbs, which are the ones which are quickly converted to energy by the body, usually they are ones found in "empty calorie" foods that contain refined sugar, wheat, corn syrup, etc. When we have those type carbs, the glucose level in the blood spikes quickly, and then falls. This falling leaves a person craving more carbs to use quickly...thus the cycle of carb addiction can occur.

Healthier carbs, which are the complex carbs take more time for the body to convert to energy, and you avoid the glucose spike and the cycle of addiction.

Many foods contain carbs naturally, tomatoes, grapefruit, peanuts to name a few. We need some carbs to function, but because the taste of sweet is preferred by people, the craving becomes hardwired into the brain, and we continue to eat them. When we eat an excessive amount, the carb calories are converted to fat. That's where I, and so many others get into trouble and gain weight.

The craving for carbs becomes an addiction just like any other type of addiction; it can be difficult to break the cycle of eating too many carbs and gaining weight. When we loose the "sugar high", it is similar to a drug addict coming off of a binge; the brain wants more to get high again.

What all of this tells me is that naturally occurring carbs are preferred, and that it takes the body longer to turn the complex carbs into energy. The exception is perhaps carbs in fruit juice, which my dietitian says is the same thing as drinking straight sugar water and is unhealthy for a bandster.

To avoid the cravings, we need to have only the healthier carbs. We still have the energy to run on, but in a healthy amount to avoid the blood glucose spikes. That is my plan for me...I love chocolate, ice cream, cakes and fruit pies, but I know they need to be avoided if I want to avoid cravings and remain compliant with my diet. One of the reasons I opted for lap band surgery was because I was well on the way to becoming diabetic; my doctor was concerned that I would become diabetic while on my required 6 month weight loss diet for insurance. Glad I dodged that bullet. Now my A1c levels are much lower.

I'm not a medical professional, but here is what I have learned from speaking with others who are...our brains need carbs to run on, carbs are the only form of energy the brain uses.

We get in to trouble when we have too many of the wrong kind of carbs, which are the ones which are quickly converted to energy by the body, usually they are ones found in "empty calorie" foods that contain refined sugar, wheat, corn syrup, etc. When we have those type carbs, the glucose level in the blood spikes quickly, and then falls. This falling leaves a person craving more carbs to use quickly...thus the cycle of carb addiction can occur.

Healthier carbs, which are the complex carbs take more time for the body to convert to energy, and you avoid the glucose spike and the cycle of addiction.

Many foods contain carbs naturally, tomatoes, grapefruit, peanuts to name a few. We need some carbs to function, but because the taste of sweet is preferred by people, the craving becomes hardwired into the brain, and we continue to eat them. When we eat an excessive amount, the carb calories are converted to fat. That's where I, and so many others get into trouble and gain weight.

The craving for carbs becomes an addiction just like any other type of addiction; it can be difficult to break the cycle of eating too many carbs and gaining weight. When we loose the "sugar high", it is similar to a drug addict coming off of a binge; the brain wants more to get high again.

What all of this tells me is that naturally occurring carbs are preferred, and that it takes the body longer to turn the complex carbs into energy. The exception is perhaps carbs in fruit juice, which my dietitian says is the same thing as drinking straight sugar water and is unhealthy for a bandster.

To avoid the cravings, we need to have only the healthier carbs. We still have the energy to run on, but in a healthy amount to avoid the blood glucose spikes. That is my plan for me...I love chocolate, ice cream, cakes and fruit pies, but I know they need to be avoided if I want to avoid cravings and remain compliant with my diet. One of the reasons I opted for lap band surgery was because I was well on the way to becoming diabetic; my doctor was concerned that I would become diabetic while on my required 6 month weight loss diet for insurance. Glad I dodged that bullet. Now my A1c levels are much lower.

this is all so true. anyone read '' southbeach diet''??... its all about this and very interesting reading. well worth buying in my estimation.

This is so true, is a very skippery slope to go down. I had fallen back into my old carby ways a couple of weeks ago and it was so so hard to pull myself back out, seriously it was harder that id ever have imagined! It's taught me a lesson though, restriction or no restriction i really don't want to be a slave to food like that again, wasn't that the whole point of getting the band!

Last Monday i had a wonderful dietition appointment and have since lost 8lbs and am feeling great!

Went for my 2nd fill yesterday. I got .5cc so this puts me at 4.5cc's. I actually have felt that little difference today because I can't seem to eat as much as before. I had lost 11 lbs since my 1st fill, blood pressure is normal so no more meds and doctor says I am doing great. Hope everyone from Feb. is doing good. I have hit the 40 lb mark since surgery and I feel great.

Just wanted to share I completed workout 1 of the couch to 5k. All I have to say OMG!

Went for my 2nd fill yesterday. I got .5cc so this puts me at 4.5cc's. I actually have felt that little difference today because I can't seem to eat as much as before. I had lost 11 lbs since my 1st fill, blood pressure is normal so no more meds and doctor says I am doing great. Hope everyone from Feb. is doing good. I have hit the 40 lb mark since surgery and I feel great.

what great news.. im taking heart from your posts. i badly need my first fill. Ive been eating more than i should be and feeling hungry and deprived all the time. plus its winter here now. Yesterday was a ''day of lapband hell' for me, and i deeply regret it . Better for me not to dwell on it now but today is a new day... and be more positive about what i can do. But, having said that, we should never under estimate the power that old mind sets and habits have ingrained in us. its like fighting a battle, or being in a war. we are never on leave. lol. always at the front line so to speak. it seems that its when we are complacent we leave the door open and in the old comes again. Ive learnt. my first fill is may 7th. it cant come quickly enough. i havent lost anything this last week. never mind. ive lost 17 lbs since the 22nd march and thats good for me.

I am feeling discouraged as well. I do find some strength in knowing that I'm not the only one. I may go for another fill. However, my question is, how do you know when you have restriction? Maybe I don't know bc I don't have it?

At first I wondered the same thing, when asked, "Do you feel restriction?" at the doctor's appt, I said " I don't know, I don't know what it is supposed to feel like." She then told me (as she was doing the fill, my second one) that I might feel gassy, feeling like I need to burp. Then after another .2ml into the band (during the same appt), we both heard the bubbling sounds from the Barium. That helped her to know that I didn't need anymore saline.

My second fill was at the end of March, and since then I have become more comfortable knowing when I'm full, I usually feel like I need to burp, and have pressure. There have been a few times when I though I could eat more but the food did not agree and it came back out...

I think I'm in my "sweet spot" now because I can't eat over about 1/2 cup food at a time until I feel pleasantly full. Once and awhile it's close to 1 cup but that's toward the end of the day.

One thing I've been struggling with is drinking enough water. I can't drink with food or right after, it will make me sick. I know you're not supposed to drink prior to eating, but I personally have found that I only need to wait about 5-10 minutes after drinking water to eat and still get full quickly. In the end I guess we are all individual and so some things may work better for some, but not for all.

GO FEBRUARY BANDSTERS! WE CAN DO IT!!!

At first I wondered the same thing, when asked, "Do you feel restriction?" at the doctor's appt, I said " I don't know, I don't know what it is supposed to feel like." She then told me (as she was doing the fill, my second one) that I might feel gassy, feeling like I need to burp. Then after another .2ml into the band (during the same appt), we both heard the bubbling sounds from the Barium. That helped her to know that I didn't need anymore saline.

My second fill was at the end of March, and since then I have become more comfortable knowing when I'm full, I usually feel like I need to burp, and have pressure. There have been a few times when I though I could eat more but the food did not agree and it came back out...

I think I'm in my "sweet spot" now because I can't eat over about 1/2 cup food at a time until I feel pleasantly full. Once and awhile it's close to 1 cup but that's toward the end of the day.

One thing I've been struggling with is drinking enough water. I can't drink with food or right after, it will make me sick. I know you're not supposed to drink prior to eating, but I personally have found that I only need to wait about 5-10 minutes after drinking water to eat and still get full quickly. In the end I guess we are all individual and so some things may work better for some, but not for all.

GO FEBRUARY BANDSTERS! WE CAN DO IT!!!

I set a timer to remind me to start drinking 1 hour after finishing a meal. It takes me some time, but I can always get the recommended amount of free fluids in every day. I feel so much better when I am properly hydrated...

It should make a huge difference if you wait enough time for your pouch to empty before trying to drink. The dietitian who works with my surgeon has told me that nutritionally, the food you are eating may will not have the same value if it travels through your digestive system too quickly. Not waiting for the full hour will cause nutrients to go under absorbed.

2 mths and 1 day since i was banded... I've lost a total of 26lbs since Feb 18th(day i started liquids). My band is currently filled at 4.4ccs but I don't notice more weight-loss. My clothes are more comfortable to wear and I was able to squeeze myself in to a size 18 jeans i haven't worn in 2 yrs but could only stand to be in the pants for 4hrs before it became uncomfortable. I've had some issues with stucks but i work throw them and learned ways to prevent them. I can't help but be discouraged I see so may other loosing large amounts of weight only 2-3 mths after being band. What am I doing wrong? I know I shouldn't eat carbs but it's so hard since i HATE veggies. Everyone tells me i look great so why can't i see it?

I still get slightly hungry in between meals but i fill up on Water to help the craving. Whats the average amount of time between meals before you should feel hunger? I feel so lost like I've fallen off the wagon..... any diet suggestions greatly appreciated!